I'm having fun with my digital camera. Heres an old Mandolinette labeled Ditson, but who made it??
I'm having fun with my digital camera. Heres an old Mandolinette labeled Ditson, but who made it??
Michael Lettieri
Heres another angle.
Michael Lettieri
I don't know who made it, though Martin did some work for Ditson. But it sure is gorgeous. Drop me a note when you get tired of it!
In doing some web searches I found this in regards to Lyon & Healy:
The Chicago-based company was an outgrowth of the Oliver Ditson Company of Boston, a multi-faceted concern that published music and distributed instruments. In the 1860s and ‘70s, Ditson realized that he could sell more of the music his company published if there were more retailers around the country. Thus, he encouraged enterprising associates, including two of his sons, to seek opportunities for developing music stores in various cities. Ditson, it seems, helped these associates scout out potential locations and provided encouragement and, no doubt, helpful advice. Two of his proteges from Boston went to Chicago in 1864: George Washburn Lyon and Patrick Joseph Healy.
Don't know if this helps or not.
She was only a whiskey maker, but he loved her still.
There are a number of possibilities, including Martin and Vega. If it ever gets taken apart, a dovetail neck joint would speak in favor of Martin and a tapered tenon, in favor of Vega. It's also possible that Ditson had some other jobber, perhaps another shop in Boston, turn these out. John C. Haynes had the biggest factory in town (Boston) and made instruments sold under others' brand names, so that's another possibility. I don't know the "look" of Haynes/Bay State instruments well enough to guess if he's the guy. It's a beauty, in any case. Speaking of neck joints, how's the neck angle?
Bob DeVellis
Gregg Miner, in his usual way has ammased almost everything you need to know about mandolinettos on this page. There is even a Ditson that resembles yours.
You did not post a headstock shot of yours tho. He has one that does resemble a Martin style mandolin. However, my gut feeling is that it #was not made by Martin. The top grain looks too coarse and Martin would most likely have made the back and sides out of rosewood, not maple.
It is interesting that yours has a circular soundhole. Most I have seen have oval ones. The original mandolinetto, built by Elias Howe Company, I believe had a carved or steam-bent top. It looks like yours is flat.
Jim
Jim
My Stream on Soundcloud
19th Century Tunes
Playing lately:
1924 Gibson A4 - 2018 Campanella A-5 - 2007 Brentrup A4C - 1915 Frank Merwin Ashley violin - Huss & Dalton DS - 1923 Gibson A2 black snakehead - '83 Flatiron A5-2 - 1939 Gibson L-00 - 1936 Epiphone Deluxe - 1928 Gibson L-5 - ca. 1890s Fairbanks Senator Banjo - ca. 1923 Vega Style M tenor banjo - ca. 1920 Weymann Style 25 Mandolin-Banjo - National RM-1
That is a lovely bit of work. Lyon & Healy did build a great many flat-topped mandolinettos, I think mostly for their American Conservatory brand. Yours looks much nicer than the American Conservatory pieces I've seen. I would love to see the headstock. The headstock on the piece pictured at Gregg Miner's site linked above (a piece that is indeed very similar to yours, Michael) looks conspicuously Vega-like.
Frank Ford took a field trip to visit luthier Rick Turner who, it turns out, is an afficionado of mandolinettos.
Scroll down to see a collection of them in all sizes on the wall.
Jim
Jim
My Stream on Soundcloud
19th Century Tunes
Playing lately:
1924 Gibson A4 - 2018 Campanella A-5 - 2007 Brentrup A4C - 1915 Frank Merwin Ashley violin - Huss & Dalton DS - 1923 Gibson A2 black snakehead - '83 Flatiron A5-2 - 1939 Gibson L-00 - 1936 Epiphone Deluxe - 1928 Gibson L-5 - ca. 1890s Fairbanks Senator Banjo - ca. 1923 Vega Style M tenor banjo - ca. 1920 Weymann Style 25 Mandolin-Banjo - National RM-1
Thanks Bob, Eugene and Jim, you guys are always a wealth of information.The neck angle is not good, it will need a reset to #correct it. I also have a pic of the headstock that I'll post this evening .Overall the instrument is in excellent condition with no cracks or finish issues
Michael Lettieri
Here's another place with
Howe-Orme information.
Bob DeVellis
Heres a picture of the headstock and fingerboard
Michael Lettieri
Bookmarks